Meet the speakers
This webinar will be given by two world-renowned speakers who have led in the field of maternal and fetal medicine for many years. There will be an opportunity to ask questions following two keynote talks.
Professor Kypros Nicolaides
Professor Kypros Nicolaides is the founder and chairman of the of The Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) which he set up in 1995. The FMF has donated more than £45 million to finance the training of doctors from around the world and to carry out major multi-centre research studies in fetal medicine. The Fetal Medicine Foundation also organises the yearly World congress in Fetal Medicine which is attended by more than 2000 participants from all over the world.
Professor Nicolaides has authored over 1689 peer-reviewed journal articles and more than 30 books. He has an H-index of 208, which is the highest of any Obstetrician & Gynaecologist in the world, and has had his research cited over 176449 times. He has provided training in Fetal Medicine to over 1000 doctors from over 50 countries.
Professor Kypros Nicolaides has developed methods of (i) screening for premature birth (which is the main cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality) by measurement of cervical length and prevention through the use of vaginal progesterone (ii) screening for pre-eclampsia (which is one of the main causes of maternal mortality) by measurement of blood flow to the uterus by Doppler and measurement of blood pressure and the hormone placental growth factor and prevention through the use of aspirin (iii) methods of early screening for chromosomal abnormalities through the measurement of nuchal translucency, and spina bifida through the ‘lemon and banana’ signs, and (iv) methods of fetal therapy including fetal blood transfusions for red cell isoimmunized pregnancies, thoraco-amniotic shunting for fetal pleural effusions, endoscopic laser surgery for identical twin pregnancies with severe twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome in collaboration with Professor Yves Ville and endoscopic placement of a balloon in the fetal trachea for the treatment of severe diaphragmatic hernia in collaboration with Professors Jan Deprest and Eduard Gratacos.
Professor Liona Poon
Professor Liona Poon is the Chairperson of Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and an Academic Subspecialist in Maternal Fetal Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR China, and Visiting Professor at the Department of Women and Children’s Health, King’s College London, London, UK.
Professor Poon is a world renowned expert in clinical maternal fetal medicine. Her areas of expertise include screening and prevention of placental complications including preeclampsia, prenatal screening and diagnosis, management of fetal growth restriction, management of multiple pregnancies including fetal interventions and the use of ultrasound in labour management. She has had a prolific research output throughout her clinical and research posts, including 300 peer-reviewed publications in high impact international journals (H-index 69).
Her most notable work is the establishment of a programme for effective early prediction and prevention of preeclampsia, a major cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. With her success in developing a first-trimester prediction model for preeclampsia using maternal risk factors, ultrasound, blood pressure and biochemical markers, and on Aspirin prophylaxis against preeclampsia, her goal in the next 10 years is to improve obstetric care worldwide, through clinical research, education and advocacy.